FAIRFAX SCHOOL BOARD DEMOCRATS AVOID TRANSPARENCY

Democrats Amend Student Rights & Responsibilities

Fairfax, VA – June 10, 2016: At last night’s meeting of the Fairfax County School Board, Democrats showed that they care more for ideology and the exercise of raw political power than the reasonable concerns of parent and students.

Republican-endorsed members of the Board had objected to the amendment of the school system’s statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities (the “SR&Rs”) to include “gender identity,” because the public had received no notice of the proposed change, and there are many questions surrounding how the SR&Rs will be interpreted.  For example, New York City defines 31 categories of “gender identity,” yet when pressed by Board members Jeanette Hough (At Large), Elizabeth Schultz (Springfield), and Tom Wilson (Sully), neither the Democrat-endorsed Board members nor the staff could say what “gender identity” actually means.  The Board twice rejected motions that would have allowed for reasonable accommodation of parental and student concerns; once for a simple two-week delay on a 6-4 vote, and another on a motion to refer the matter to a study committee on a 7-3 vote. The Board ultimately adopted the changes to the SR&R on a 7 – 3 party-line vote.

In response to the Board’s action, Matt Ames — Chairman of the Fairfax County Republican Committee – stated, “I don’t see how any fair-minded person could have voted against the motion to delay action on the SR&R document for just two weeks.  Democrats on the Board admitted that the process leading up to the vote was flawed, and that Board members Hough, Schultz, and Wilson had raised significant substantive points.  But they still refused to allow students and parents the opportunity to become better informed on what the change will mean.  The Democrats are clearly driven by an ideological agenda, and have no respect for the public they are sworn to serve.”

Fairfax County Republican Committee